


A Life Worth Living

by The_Azkaban_Dreamer



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, Post-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Burrow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:48:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27541075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Azkaban_Dreamer/pseuds/The_Azkaban_Dreamer
Summary: One night after the defeat of Voldemort, Harry and Ginny find themselves talking about the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry’s sacrifice and how much they mean to each other.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley
Kudos: 24





	A Life Worth Living

It had been three months since Harry had defeated Voldemort and day by day, bit by bit, he was slowly picking up the pieces. 

He wanted to return to Grimmauld Place to give himself space from everyone else, but Mr and Mrs Weasley insisted that he stay at the Burrow with them.

Harry didn’t want to be a burden to them, but Mrs Weasley told him that he could _never_ be a burden and that she would worry about Harry if he were off living on his own and that he was part of the family.

Touched, Harry decided to move into The Burrow with the Weasleys which was just as well, because he had begun to have nightmares about the Battle of Hogwarts.

Fred, Remus, Tonks and Colin Creevey wove in and out of his dreams along with his parents, Dumbledore, Sirius and Snape. But they all disappeared in a blinding flash of green light.

Mrs Weasley noticed the toll it had taken on Harry and began giving him Sleeping Draughts at night, but they didn’t help much. However, there was one bright spot in his life that gave him a reason to smile; Ginny.

Harry had resumed his relationship with his ex-girlfriend and they spent the sunny days together walking in fields, skipping stones down the stream, playing Quidditch and talking together. 

Ginny was a great improvement on Harry’s mood and everyone noticed. Harry’s good mood was infectious and soon enough, everyone’s spirits had soared. It was a far cry from the miserable atmosphere on the morning of Fred’s funeral.

Harry had found that his nightmares were disappearing after Ginny suggested that he sleep in the living room with her.

* * *

The Burrow’s living room was a cosy place to cuddle for the night and Harry and Ginny were snuggled up on the sofa together, Ginny’s head resting on Harry’s chest.

Harry was in a state of bliss as he ran his hands through Ginny’s hair, marvelling at the softness of it. The familiar, flowery scent filled his nostrils whilst the ticking of the clock lulled him into a doze. This evening was perfect and after all they had been through, perfection was a rare thing for Harry to experience.

He loved Ginny so much; He loved having her in his life and on some days, the only reason he got out of bed was to see Ginny’s beautiful grin. He longed to tell her how much he loved her.

Yet unbidden, the flash of green light that Ginny had missed by inches came crashing into his mind; He could’ve lost her. He could’ve been lonely and not have Ginny in his life and he felt himself get more agitated as he thought about it.

Ginny seemed to know that something was wrong because she lifted her head and gave him a searching look.

“What’s wrong, Harry?” she asked softly.

“Nothing,” Harry whispered. “I’m fine.”

But that never worked on Ginny as it worked on Ron and Hermione. Ginny narrowed her eyes and looked at him suspiciously.

“Don’t give me that,” she snorted. “You’ve gone all tense. What have you been thinking about?”

Harry knew he could never shut her out as he could do with Ron and Hermione and talking with Ginny always helped him in the past; Perhaps now was the time to open up.

“Your duel with Bellatrix,” Harry said quietly. “You know when she fired the killing curse at you and you missed it by inches? I could’ve lost you.”

Harry’s voice broke on the last word and Ginny’s face softened and she snuggled into Harry.

“But you _didn’t_ ,” she said firmly, squeezing him tightly. “I’m here, Harry. I’m alive, I’m well and you’re stuck with me.”

Harry laughed at the last part and hugged her closer to him. Ginny always knew what to say to make him feel better and she could read him like a book.

“I thought I lost _you_ ,” Ginny said after a while and Harry looked down to see her looking up at him, her eyes shining intently. “When Voldemort returned from the forest and we saw you dead in Hagrid’s arms, everything ended for me. It was as if I was fighting to get myself killed and I didn’t care anymore. A world without you isn’t a world worth living in.”

“It’s not worth living a life without you in it either,” Harry said, a peculiar feeling rising in him.

Ever since he resumed his relationship with Ginny, he felt as if he were close to a point where he would confess his love for her; Perhaps tonight was the night.

“I don’t think I would’ve survived if I hadn’t been in the D.A,” Ginny said quietly. “And Quidditch practice helped with my reflexes. You’re quite a good teacher when you’re not trying to save the world.”

Ginny grinned and gave Harry another one of her blazing looks and Harry knew that he could no longer keep quiet; He had to confess his love to her now.

“Ginny,” Harry said softly, his heart hammering against his chest like a Bludger. “Do you remember when I gave myself up to Voldemort?”

“I try to forget,” Ginny said quietly. “It was the worst night of my life.”

Harry felt a pang of guilt, but he didn’t want to backtrack now; He was going to say what he needed to say.

“It was the worst night of my life as well,” Harry said. “All those people who died for us. I’ll never forget them and I never forget setting foot into the forest with the expectation that I had to die to stop Voldemort. Before I went into the forest I saw you tending to that injured girl.”

“It _was_ you,” Ginny muttered. “I thought there was someone around. I had a feeling it might be you just like I had a feeling that someone was watching me at night at Hogwarts.”

Ginny gave Harry a wink and Harry felt himself go red as he remembered telling Ginny that he looked at her dot on the Marauder’s Map in one of his vulnerable moments.

“I wanted one last look at you before I left for the forest,” Harry said. “And when I was in the clearing, face to face with him, my last thought was you.”

Ginny’s face softened and her eyes shined as she stared at Harry intently, her gaze enough to help Harry go on.

“I thought about kissing you,” Harry said awkwardly, feeling slightly embarrassed at his choice of words. Ginny didn’t help his embarrassment by grinning slyly.

“Our time together, whether it was at Hogwarts or here at the Burrow has been the happiest moments of my life,” Harry continued feeling a lot braver. “I can be me for once and I don’t have to worry about being The Boy Who Lived or The Chosen One or that new thing that the Prophet’s calling me; The Saviour of the Wizarding World.”

Harry felt that he had rambled enough; Now was the time to say it.

“I love you, Ginny,” Harry said, looking intently into Ginny’s chocolate-brown eyes. “You mean the world to me and you’ve helped me so much since the war ended. I can’t imagine a life without you.”

He had done it; he said the magic words. It felt strangely anti-climactic and Ginny was still staring at him, searching his face and her eyes blazing like they had never blazed before.

Harry’s heart hammered in his chest as he waited for Ginny to say something. The ticking of the clock didn’t do much to calm his nerves; Perhaps he shouldn’t have said it.

But in one fell swoop, Ginny surged forward, kissing Harry with all her might. Relieved, Harry kissed her back with gusto, his insides doing the conga again as Ginny’s hands found Harry’s hair and made it even messier than it was before.

Soon - too soon for Harry’s liking - they parted and Ginny was grinning at Harry. Her eyes still blazing and looking so incredibly beautiful.

“I love you too, you noble git,” Ginny said fiercely, kissing Harry again. “I’ve _always_ loved you. Ever since you saved me from The Chamber of Secrets.”

“That long?” Harry asked, feeling dazed and Ginny grinned at him.

“It’s taken you a while to come around,” Ginny said, nudging Harry playfully in the ribs. “At one point, I thought you’d _never_ notice me but I’m glad you did. You don’t have to be alone, Harry. I’ll always be with you.” 

Harry felt a great wave of happiness wash over him and his grin was as big as Ginny’s. For the first time in his life, he felt complete and whole as he grinned at the girl he loved.

The image of Ginny marrying the faceless stranger in a top hat came into Harry’s mind again but this time, Harry saw the faceless stranger to be him.

Harry realised now that Voldemort was gone, he had the opportunity to do anything. His life was now his own and he could be with Ginny. He could marry her and maybe - just maybe – they could have children of their own.

The thought of having children made Harry grin so wide, that he felt as if his face would split in two.

They snuggled back down on the sofa again and once more, Ginny snuggled into Harry’s chest. A feeling of complete happiness washed over Harry as he took his glasses off and closed his eyes contentedly, pleased to have the love of his life alive and well in his arms.


End file.
